Vail Daily column: Vail Chamber: Time to make a to-do list

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Do you write a "to-do" list everyday? If the answer is "no," then make one!Did you know if you write a to-do list then you're part of the top 35 percent of achievers in the population? Did you know 65 percent of the population does not even write goals down? They are not even in the game!To actually write a very solid list of goals, and to be comprehensive and formulate them as a plan, begins to move you up the ladder of success. Many people might write down their grocery lists, but they don't write down the most important thing they need to do in order to grow their business or relationships or other things that are important to them.Therefore, holistically, whether it's your health, your love life, your spirituality, your relationships or your career and business - write it down! Be really honest with yourself and assess what you have written down today.You are now in the top 35 percent of achievers because you have stuff written down, even if you just have a simple list. To get into the 90 percent of achievers, your list should be very comprehensive, very detailed and it should have complete information. At 90 percent, people become more powerful as well because they have the consistent discipline to schedule their steps and goals in a systematic fashion.In order to break into the top 10 percent, you need to adopt a format known as "S.M.A.R.T.," which stands for "Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-based." To simply say "I'm going to grow my business," is not S.M.A.R.T. But to say "I'm going to create an extra $20,000 in revenue in the next quarter with $10,000 coming in August and $10,000 coming in September" is S.M.A.R.T. It's specific. If you can measure it, then you can act on it. You know what you need to do to generate $20,000 of business and you get to decide whether that goal is realistic or not and what time frames are appropriate to attach to that goal.This leads to the next step - writing down S.M.A.R.T. sub-steps that outline specific actions such as "I am going to make a marketing brochure. It will be produced by Aug. 5 for the new promotion, and it is going to cost me nothing because I am going to self-publish it," or "I have budgeted $1,000 to print the brochure and someone else will produce it." You fill in the blanks after that step. You begin doing all of the sub-steps necessary to create the top down goal approach that is S.M.A.R.T.If you do this, then you are now in the top 10 percent of achievers in the population. If you do it well, and you do it comprehensively in the areas of your life that you are really focused on, then even better.You need to stay involved and stay informed. If you are not already receiving the Vail Chamber & Business Association's weekly newsletter, then email us at info@vailchamber.org to start receiving it. If you are interested in finding out more about the Vail Chamber & Business Association and what we have to offer to businesses in and that do business in Vail, then call 970-477-0075 or email info@vailchamber.org. We are based in Vail Village, our office is located on the top of level of the Vail Transportation Center, so stop by and say hello.Lourdes Acevedo-Ferzacca is the owner of La Tour Restaurant in Vail Village and CEO of Asset Trust Financial LLC. She is board president of the Vail Chamber & Business Association.